In the use of an audiovisual (AV) product, it has conventionally been necessary for the user to recognize which file system the device uses to record data, and to determine to use other device supporting the file system.
As an example of a means of protecting a disc, i.e. a recording media, the user manually sets a mechanical protection provided in the disc case. When a device recognizes a write-protect state of the mechanical protection, the device performs no recording to protect the video data or the like thereon.
In another example of such a technique, write control information is written on a recording media. The write control information indicates either a write-protect state to inhibit writing data on the recording media or a write-enable state to permit writing data thereon. Thus, the control of writing data on the recording media according to the write control information prevents inadvertent writing and erasing of data on the recording media. Such a technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-272292.
The above means and technique have the following problems. For example, a device uses the same disc used by another existing device, and records video data on the disc using a new file system which the other existing device cannot recognize. In such a case, when a user attempts to use the recorded disc in the other existing device, the other existing device cannot recognize the file system and thus determines that an unknown file system is used. Then, many of such existing devices may operate to instruct the user to format the disc (initialize the file system). According to the instruction, the user inadvertently formats the disc having video, audio, and information data recorded thereon, and the video, audio, and information data is erased.